Almshouse Resilient Communities (ARC) for the Future
The ARC for the Future project will examine how resilience can be fostered in almshouse communities, contributing to a wider research programme on suitable living environments for an older population.
Overview
Grounded in the context of inadequate social housing in the UK for older people, ARC for the Future will work with seven community partners who provide high-quality accommodation for older residents, and investigate the potential of the almshouse charity model as an alternative to private or local authority provision. The project has a triple perspective, focusing on social, built environment and governance resilience.
Outputs
Knowledge Hub on Resilience in Almshouse Communities
With more extreme climates and frequent 'shock events' like pandemics, boosting the resilience of communities and the built environment is crucial. The Knowledge Hub on Resilience in Almshouse Communities offers free resources to almshouse residents, staff, social housing providers, and anyone interested in strengthening communities to deal with change.
Learn more about the Hub and access it
RICS Report – Almshouses: a model of community housing for an ageing population
Written by ARC researchers, Jenny Pannell and Dr Alison Pooley, the report offers the most recent, comprehensive overview of the almshouses provision in the UK. It takes a future-focused approach, exploring the distinct and valuable contribution of almshouse accommodation to housing for older people. Case studies in the UK and the Netherlands are examined.
People
Funder
Dunhill Medical Trust
ARC Research Partners
United St Saviour’s Charity |
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The Whiteley Homes Trust |
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Sir Josiah Mason Trust |
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Bristol Charities |
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Southwark Charities |
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Legacy East Almshouse Partnership |
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Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association |
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ARC Project Team Members
Dr Niamh Murtagh, University College London (Principal Investigator) Niamh is a Principal Research Fellow at UCL, specialising in sustainable and resilience behaviour. An environmental psychologist by discipline, she has a particular interest in the interactions between people and their physical environments, both built and natural. |
Dr Evelyn Callahan, University College London Evelyn is a Research Fellow at UCL. They have a PhD in sociology from Brunel University London, an MSc in medical anthropology from University College London, and a BA in anthropology from the University of Connecticut. Their previous research has included various interdisciplinary, applied social sciences projects on healthcare topics, primarily on trans healthcare in the UK. |
| Dr Alison Pooley, University of Suffolk |
Jenny Pannell, University College London Jenny is currently Research Associate with UCL. She has carried out extensive research on housing, support and care for older people for a range of funders, and she has a special interest in the future role of the almshouse movement. Jenny was a senior housing manager with social housing providers before moving into independent research and consultancy. |
Alison Benzimra, United St Saviour’s Charity Alison is Head of Research and Influence at United St Saviour’s Charity. In her role, she coordinates various research projects with academic partners with the aim that the research findings will better inform United St Saviour's Charity's service provision for residents and improve their health and wellbeing outcomes. |
Zoe Richardson, Sir Josiah Mason Trust Zoe is the Director of Operations and Deputy CEO of SJMT (Sir Josiah Mason Trust). In her role she is responsible for all alms housing provision across the West Midlands, Care services, Young Peoples services and support operations across the organisation. Zoe has been with SJMT for nearly 4 years and comes from a senior leadership national charity background. |
| Lisa da Silva, The Whiteley Homes Trust |
ARC Residents Advisory Group (RAG) Members
Maggie Anderson, Kim Baxter, Sid Guichard, Viv Guichard, Nick Henderson, Roger Hoare, Liz McIlduff, Pat Medina, Andy Rosholm-Olesen, and other almshouse residents.
ARC Professionals Advisory Group (PAG) Members
| Jack Baldan | The Almshouse Association |
| Lois Beech | Housing LIN |
| Charlotte Cook | Winckworth Sherwood Law |
| Martyn Craddock | United St Saviour’s Charity |
| Sarah Davis | Chartered Institute of Housing |
| Paul Gayler | Chelmsford City Council |
| David Healey | Sir Josiah Mason Trust |
| Rachel Hill | The Whiteley Homes Trust |
| Althea Howarth | Ridgeway Associates/City of Wells Almshouses |
| Chris Jones | Erosh (Midlands)/Wyggestons Almshouse Charity |
| Mushtaq Khan | Housing Diversity Network |
| Julian Mines | Bristol Charities |
| Paul Mullis | Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association |
| Nick Phillips | The Almshouse Association |
| Anne Taylor | Thorngate Churcher Trust |
| Chris Wilson | Southwark Charities |
ARC Supporters
The Almshouse Association
Housing LIN
ARC for the Future Blogs
In these blogs, Principal Investigator for ARC for the Future, Dr Niamh Murtagh talks about resilient individuals and communities.